Ho Municipal Assembly gets low marks in governance

Ho, Jan. 9, GNA - Mr Tenasu Kofi Gbedemah, Volta Regional Focal Person, Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) has given low marks to the Ho Municipal Assembly (HMA) for its performance in governance, sanitation and other sectors of the local economy in the past four years.

'I am disappointed in the Assembly. They performed poorly in the past four years and I can only give them 40 per cent in governance and leadership,' he said.

Mr Gbedemah who expressed the disappointment in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, chastised the Assembly for not being transparent on policies and how monies taken were spent.

He alleged that some 'traditions were fused into modern governance' making it difficult for people to seek accountability from leadership of the Assembly because 'there was openness'.

Mr Gbedemah alleged there was no consultation and participation of the locals in decision making and that the MCE and her staff were not accessible, leading to apathy and corruption at the Assembly.

He said the situation went bad because Assembly members lost their voices and were dancing to the tune of the Executive.

On sanitation, Mr Gbedemah said there was no improvement in the cleanliness of the regional capital and that houses still had rubbishes at their gates and lorry stations, filthy.

He said it was important for the new administration to prioritise sanitation to restore the municipality to its past glory.

A former Assembly member who sought anonymity said the Assembly had no clear objective in the past four years and that it was business as usual, 'a wasteful four years.'

He said all projects executed within the period were inherited from the past administration and that the recent administration could only be remembered for distribution of streetlights and donation of assorted items to vulnerable and communities.

The former Assembly member said communication was a major problem for the Assembly, which made the Assembly invisible and awarded it 25 per cent for its performance during the period.

A traditional ruler also expressed disappointment in the Assembly for not involving the citizens in decision making and alleged that chiefs were not consulted before projects were constructed in their communities.

Meanwhile, Mrs Fafa Adinyira, the MCE told the GNA that her administration did 'excellently well' and gave it grade 'A'.

She said within three years, the Assembly raised educational standard in the municipality through the construction of classroom blocks.

'We have impacted in the past three years and for the first time; we have schools at Aklamakpetoe, and a few more schools at Tanyigbe, Tokokoe and Deme. We also constructed CHPS compounds,' Mrs Adinyira.

GNA